ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB 
MALLARD. 
Has been observed on about a dozen occasions, chiefly im 
spring and the late summer months; in winter once only. it 
has been more frequently seen passing over than settled, but 
on April 27th, 1898, three alighted on Dulwich Lake, and two 
on 23rd April, 1901 ; also one on 2nd of May, 1909. The only 
winter note is of a female bird on the lake on Tooting Common, 
December 4th, 1905; it was associating with another and rarer 
visitor, viz., a male Pochard. This year (1909) a party of six 
passed N.E. over my garden at dusk, and about 40 yards up. 
TEAL. 
This species has been recognised on several occasions. 
On 12th July, 1897, a party of eight flew over me on Clapham 
Common, being only about 60 yards up, and going E. In the 
famous duck visitation of 18098, I found three on the lake in 
Dulwich Park on Oth October, together with several other 
species. On October 8th, 1907, when near Queen’s Road, 
Peckham, I noticed a flock of twenty or more wheeling round 
and round in the direction of the river. 
BLACK-HEADED GULL. 
Before these birds began their yearly visitations to Lou- 
don—some 20 years ago—TI do not remember to have seen 
even a solitary wanderer of this species over the suburb; but 
from that time, and more especially since 1808, they have often 
appeared passing over Brixton and neighbourhood—sometimes 
as many as twenty together—chiefly between October and 
March. I have only two notes of the occurrence of the species 
in September, yet both of considerable interest, inasmuch as 3 
which spent a short time over Dulwich Lake on September 
16th, 1900, are the only examples I ever saw there; and still 
more remarkable was the appearance over my garden on Sep- 
tember 11th, 1907, of 21 birds which for a quarter of an hour 
most gracefully exercised themselves in the capture of the 
winged ants. These Gulls were soaring at an average height 
of 60 yards, and strangely associated with them, and equally 
busily feeding, was a solitary Corvus — probably a Crow; 
whilst, at a lower elevation, a few Starlings and numerous 
Sparrows were joining in the feast. As for the frequenters 
of the river, thousands may be seen, especially in hard weather, 
45 
